A chara, – Kathy Sheridan nails it as usual with another thoughtful and well-researched article ("Blueprint for a smarter society", December 13th). Citizens who protest the "broken" political system would be well served to direct their energy into realising that the system isn't "broken," it's just functioning the way it will inevitably function in its current form. And the glory of a democracy is that you can vote for alternatives, or mobilise to create the alternatives where none exist. I personally don't think the majority of citizens are willing to vote for the type of changes that would do away with localism or cronyism, and none of the existing parties is advocating wholesale constitutional reform. So we have to educate ourselves to know the alternatives, decide among them, and agitate for them to be enacted, if we're serious about meaningful change. – Is mise,
AMHLAOIBH
MacGIOLLA,
Oileán Chliara,
Co Mhaigh Eo.